jeff-o

Our troop families don't have much money. Therefore, the only items we collect money for are annual fees ($12 or so) and summer camp ($175). The Scouts do good with their fundraisers in the fall and spring and raise enough money to even cover camping food fees. We usually camp places where its free or very little to pay to camp. Many Scouts also earn enough to pay for summer camp as well. It can be done!

I've often heard it mentioned here about "passing" and "failing" ranks. At the same time, I've heard that the "Scoutmaster Conference" is just a conference -- and it "has" to be signed off when they meet and have the conference, and no SM can ever refuse (or should refuse) a conference. To me, this is sort of conflicting. On one hand, we have a program of advancement that's based entirely on individual scout achievement. But on the other hand, there are "approvals" of things like the scout oath and law. Do we, as Scoutmasters, actually have the authority to reject requirements that the sc

I don't remember way back when. In the Scout book today, it shows a small star that goes around the patrol patch for honor patrol.

We started with almost the same thing, just over a year ago. We had 6 Webelos cross over at age 11 (all with arrow of light). In my mind, we're on a 4-year plan to get the troop completely Scout-run. Why? Because they don't have any older scouts to model themselves after, so I have to teach them while letting them lead. I spent the first couple months showing them how scout meetings go, following the guide in the SM handbook, including the suggested outline. After that, we elected a patrol leader (one patrol, no SPL or anything yet). Then, for the next month, I worked with the patrol

Perhaps this thread can be moved to debate, as it appears to me to be just people complaining about others' beliefs now, and has nothing to do with BSA policy?

Yes. Should. Our recent DE looked at me like I was from Mars when I asked for such a list. About 6 months ago one person showed up at round table with a ticket to make such a list. No progress so far. I think the only way a list will appear is if I personally make it (which I'm trying to find time to do). And yes, I want to see lots of adult interaction. And yes, the scouts absolutely make the call to the few merit badge counselors we have set up. Heck, we have our scouts even call the chair of the troop advancement committee (sounds impressive, but, well) to schedule board of reviews for

Just to pipe in on this thread, realize that each scout unit is going to be different. For example, our unit struggles to get two adults to show up for a campout. As the Scoutmaster, I'm always there, but no other adults will step up and volunteer to be consistent, so each campout has different adults there (but we always manage to get two). So, just imagine what merit badge counselors are like. Yes, its mostly me. I've managed to get a couple adults to sign up for one merit badge, but that's it. And yes, I've asked district for help. We're a new troop with just 8 registered scouts, but o

As others have mentioned, get the Scouts to make the selection. In our August planning meeting last year, the Scouts decided they wanted to do two service projects in the coming year during camp outs. The first we completed a couple months ago -- the scouts camped on a trail in a national park and spent Saturday clearing the trail and re-blazing the trail. We had full attendance -- and the Scouts selected the project.(This message has been edited by jeff-o)

Again, good ideas discussed here. Here's a couple things our troop has done recently: 1. Bird Study. During the August planning meeting, the scouts selected Bird Study as the "theme" for this month. So, this month, during the 15-20 minutes of instruction time of the troop meeting, I have showed them pictures of birds, showed them how to identify birds, and discussed bird calls. And I've pointed out there is a Bird Study merit badge for anyone who is interested. As a result, the scouts had a great time trying to remember the specific types of birds (NORTHERN Cardinal? Why that's just

And if you do go for the new unit, please do get the den leader and Cub Master specific training. There's some things you described that should never happen in cub scouts. For example -- any camping trip with any Cub Scout absolutely requires parents to attend (or designated guardian). Cub Scouts is supposed to be a family activity, not a babysitting service.

Get out now. And yes, if you haven't been, get training yourself and join up with another unit.

Its supposed to be a bird. What is it, really? A deformed smurf dog is my guess.

I'm right there with you, twocubdad. When I look at the Scouting schedule, its a maximum of one day a week and one weekend a month. That's it, there's really no more time. And, if you don't want to attend something, there's no punishment, no being held back, nothing. I compare that to just about every other recreation and school event that requires 2-4 nights a week, many, many weekends, and severe punishments if you miss any practice, event, or game. Scouting is pretty easy on the schedule comparatively.

And the line I have used many times: "Scouting isn't for everyone." If the boy hates going outdoors, he's not going to be happy in scouts! If the boy doesn't like to get dirty, he's not going to have much fun. If the boy doesn't like physical contact and male competition, he's not going to enjoy his scouting experience.

No idea which was first. Most memorable was cycling. I was about 14 years old and planned that 50-mile bike trip with my best friend. We rode bikes all over the place for that badge. That was just darn fun.

Hehe... I can only laugh when I read this post. When our troop started a year ago, it started raining. Our very first event was a 2-mile hike. It rained. On our fourth camp out, it literally started raining on Friday night when we arrived at the campsite and didn't stop raining until we left Sunday. No, really. We have now been camping eleven different times and it has not rained on exactly ONE of those events. Seriously, just once. But no, it is good that you've got a plan in place to keep your scouts interested. We just plan on doing what we're going to do and honestly don't consider th

I had one scout who didn't want to be there at the meetings. I would have a SM conference with him to talk about his behavior, and he told me, "I don't want to be in Scouts, but my Dad makes me come." I took the opportunity to try and help him stand up for himself. After all, part of scouting is about teaching boys to be men and learning confidence, right? I took the time to explain to him that he needed to be clear that if he really didn't want to be in scouts, then he was the one who was going to have to tell his parents, I wasn't going to do that for him. Then we talked about thin

I always wear the Smokey Bear to meetings and events. But outdoors I wear a Australian-style outback hat with a nice wide brim.

Our troop is the same -- no electronics, period.

As I understand the official uniform policy, anything that was, at any time, an official part of the uniform can be worn at any time. In other words, if you still have those knee socks with the red tabs (man, were they cool, or what?), you can still wear them. So while it may be mentioned that these are "temporary," if they're legal once, they're legal forever.

And I'm also a big believer in not punishing scouts for adult mistakes. The requirements were published. Some scouts found them and wanted to work on them. We got permission to work on them. THEN National changed their minds. Sorry, but I'm not telling Scouts, "Gee, after you started on that, someone decided you couldn't do it." To me, this is like changes in the Scout Handbook -- one set of rules was published. Until there's a new set of rules published, you can follow the old ones.

"Soon?" When is that? And way to say, "Gee, follow this link for more --" only there's nothing there. I'm not impressed.

Great ideas here, thanks for the comments. I do believe in the scout-run troop, and again, while it hasn't happened, I can't see turning down a group of scouts who say, "Gee, this is what we want to do." I didn't mean to center it around the First Aid merit badge. For example, we're going camping in a couple weeks, and we still don't have a real theme for the campout (it was going to be climbing, but the expenses were too high) -- so I'm wondering if scouts will say, "Gee, could we do all the stuff for merit badge xxxx there?" I also LOVE the ideas put forth here -- if we do a group

So, I was reading in the other thread the general opinion that teaching merit badges in classes was a sure sign that the troop was adult-led and was a bad thing. Now believe me, I'm big on Scout-led, and the total chaos of our troop meetings and the missing items on campouts will assure you that our troop is scout-led. But what about if the scouts WANT to have troop merit badge classes? It hasn't happened yet, I think because most of the troop are younger and working on Tenderfoot to First Class, but what would you do, in a Scout-led troop, if the PLC came to the Scoutmaster and said

Our Troop found some sticks and cut (and carved) them to make flagpoles. Sure, they don't fold up when we transport them, but they still fit in a car.